


A Game of Trust

by PerennialFall



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Alternate Canon, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fights, Male-Female Friendship, One Shot, Sexual Tension, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22316401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerennialFall/pseuds/PerennialFall
Summary: The latest swordsman to join the ranks of the Resistance is quiet. Far too quiet. Until he opens his mouth and inadvertently proves himself to be arrogant. Ashei invites him outside, where she longs to answer his skills with her own.
Relationships: Ashei/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link & Ashei (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	A Game of Trust

**Author's Note:**

> AN: This spilled out one afternoon after reading the latest manga and ~~I am so sorry.~~ For the record, this is not at all my head-canon for Ashei's characterisation but I decided to run with it because... REASONS. I'm also experimenting with tense before I finish my other works in progress. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**A Game of Trust  
**  
"I knew I'd never get the truth out of you in there." Ashei's brow lowers and any fraction of her usual composure is gone.  
  
Link hesitates. His pulse quickens beneath the surface but he takes too long hide his fear and her mouth curves into a smile. It never reaches her eyes. They're sharp and cold, like flint in his hands on a dreary night.  
  
As much as she unnerves him, he can't afford to make any wrong moves. His reputation might have taken a hit the first time they crossed paths but now the secrets of Twilight hung in the balance. Conversely, he knows he needs her on side if he's to stand any chance of recovering the Mirror. He needs her information just as much as she wants his.  
  
He uncurls his fingers. The sword strapped to his back stands ready. But then, as though she's read his mind, she rushes toward him suddenly. Unarmed. He's unable to move and chokes back his surprise as she stops mere inches away from his face. The aloof image he has of her shatters and he realises now, that she is a very big problem.  
  
"That's why I asked you here. I was hoping you could _show_ me," she breathes.  
  
The sound of her sword unsheathing pierces the night.  
  
His indecisiveness burns away and he leaps back, putting distance between them as he lands on his feet. He rips the Master Sword from its sheath in the air and stands ready to defend himself. Her eyes narrow, following her smile as it widens and he sees a flash of teeth. He's reminded of Midna in the most inconvenient way.  
  
'I can't let her distract me,' he tells himself, breathing slowly. 'I can't let myself look like a fool.'  
  
She knows the effect she has on men who underestimate her. Whether they do so on the basis of gender, or as Link so aptly put it in the tavern, her status as an 'ordinary person.' His arrogance is palpable and she longs to snuff it out of him with her own hands. Every flicker of unease is only proof of his opinion of her. And yet... surprising him feels _so_ good. The harder he tries to hide it, the harder she wants to squeeze the truth out of him.  
  
His shout echoes in the alley as he strikes first. His features sharpen into something _other_ and his teeth bare back at her over the angle of his sword. Clenched. Determined.  
  
She blocks his attack, moving on the defence as she begins to learn his moves. They're surprisingly good for an amateur. Though, there's something strange in the way he carries himself, armed. It's as though a new confidence has stepped into that polite and impenetrable demeanour. As though an old experience is pulling the strings. He conserves his energy by channelling it into the power of his swings, leading his quickness to erupt in flashes.  
  
She decides to match his unpredictability with her own.  
  
The cold flat of her sword slaps suddenly against his leg, mocking his stance before he can whirl around to answer her. The Master Sword whistles through the air as he turns. But air is all that he strikes. She lands on her feet some short distance away. A smirk spreads to her lips and he growls, blue eyes honed with fury.  
  
"Again," she says, simply.  
  
He grits his teeth and rushes forward again, swinging his sword down upon her right. He's confident she'll intercept him there. And it works! He shouts to disarm her before he draws even closer, breath flashing upon her face, as he hauls the Hylian shield up to bash against her left.  
  
Her sword is on the outside, leaving her free to disengage as she leaps away. But she raises her left gauntlet in defence, conceding the fact that she anticipated the hit to land. It's his turn to smirk and she lowers her arm, shooting daggers with her eyes.

"Good. You're using your head."  
  
"You're not my teacher!"  
  
She scoffs loudly, amused. "Enemies are rather effective teachers."  
  
"Is that what I am to you?" he asks. "Some wild animal that needs to be cut down?"  
  
Ashei retaliates without answering and Link fends her off, waging his own battle on the inside. He wonders what the Resistance might think of him for exchanging violent blows with their colleague. Was it a failure on his part for being unable to talk her out of it? Or perhaps this was the warrior's way of figuring people out?  
  
He recognises malice when he sees it but the light in her eyes begins to betray her feelings. Her attacks are measured. And he's sure he detects a smile when he steps out of the way of her sword. Shadowing her movements. _Allowing_ them to command him. It is a dance and she is enjoying every moment of it. Despite their misgivings, he knows he feels the same.  
  
Soon, it's his turn to take the lead. He rolls to the side to strike behind her, catching her sword with ease. "Why don't you trust me?" he shouts over the noise. "Are you saying Telma and Rusl were wrong to let me in?"  
  
"Telma's got a weakness for pretty faces," she says mockingly, over the crossed steel between them. "And Rusl doesn't dress like a hero and act like he's _above_ everyone. Unlike you."  
  
"Well, you haven't beaten me yet." His expression is hard and unrelenting, daring her to dig deeper. "And I'm not letting that happen. So what do you want from me, Ashei? What will make you happy?"  
  
"I'll be happy when you drop the act and show me who I'm dealing with." She anchors her feet into the pavement before she shoves him backwards. He steadies himself, refusing to let her topple his stance. "After all, I can't place my life in the hands of any _ordinary_ hero."  
  
"You're... mad because I called you that?"  
  
He flips backwards to widen the space between them. And then he frowns. His words were poorly chosen and he can feel nothing but shame in having used them. She pauses momentarily to read his reaction. Sword poised. Lashes lowered. A storm, in waiting.  
  
"I'm sorry. I never meant to undervalue your skills."  
  
"Yeah? Well, you did."  
  
The time for bargaining is over and she whirls around to catch his shield, letting her sword thump against it to disorient him. Then she darts to the side to catch him off-guard.  
  
Though she's armoured, having a free arm makes her lighter on her feet and he finds himself wanting to dig into the ground to consolidate his stance. He realises his mistake when she sweeps down low to kick him off balance. Not an ounce of equipment is used, alerting him to his weakness as he crashes onto the pavement - _hard._  
  
She glances down at him coldly.  
  
Just as she goes to point her sword at his throat and claim her victory, he rolls out of the way. He abandons the Hylian shield and jumps back to his feet. Her surprise is short-lived before she lurches towards him again to make a horizontal cut, the flames of the city torches reflected in her sword.  
  
He summons his strength to make one final great leap into the air. Abandoning instinct, he trades a strike for his right hand, which snatches the warrior's shoulder from above. He pulls her to the ground and in the blink of an eye, she finds herself at the tip of his sword.  
  
Ashei looks up at him, holding his gaze without a trace of emotion.  
  
Link is panting. His eyes are wide, bewildered by the measure of his own strength. Her face shows a spark of defiance before she goes to move out of the way, but he sheaths his sword and kneels down to hold her in place, riding a fresh wave of adrenaline. Her laughter reverberates off the buildings and it's the last thing he expects to hear before he stops fighting.  
  
"... Good game," she says at last. Her eyes dark and incongruous, and he isn't yet sure how to take her words. "No one's ever gotten me on my back like that."  
  
A blush immediately shoots into his face.  
  
"Well I don't normally have that much trouble," he admits readily, releasing his hold. "In fact... it's never taken that long. You're an amazing fighter, Ashei. Really. And I should've... trusted in the Resistance more. I'm sorry for insulting you."  
  
"It's fine, yeah? But I don't need your condescension." She sits up and he's suddenly very aware of the scant space between them. He shuffles backwards, blinking rapidly. "I need you to think sharp for the mission."  
  
The warrior senses his fear and she leans in close, watching as his breath hitches. He's never been _this_ close to a woman before and he can feel the heat emanating from her body. It's pleasant. The exhaustion from their match hangs thick in the air and he can almost taste it as he breathes it in. His fear converts into something else and he's unsure of what it might be until he meets her gaze and tilts his head.  
  
She _almost_ lets him.  
  
But then she grabs his onto shoulder and pulls him to the ground, taking advantage of the moment to trade positions. He feels his arms pinned to the pavement and her knee pressing lightly against his chest, threatening to come down harder if he struggles. Her eyes narrow and she realises that this feels _much_ better. She waits for him to move but he does not. And so, she softens her grip.  
  
"Uh." He laughs, nervously. "Guess I got over-confident."  
  
"Rusl said you were a fast learner. That's good. It'll keep you alive."  
  
Eventually, she sets him free and lifts him back onto his feet. He offers a smile behind a head of messy hair. They're both sore and scuffed with dirt from the pavement, enough so that they'll definitely raise some questions back at the bar. Her tired smile soon matches his own and she smacks him on the arm as they wander back.  
  
"... I think I understand you a lot better, Link. Meet me at Snowpeak when you're ready, yeah? I wanna see what you're capable of."

"Are you saying you trust me now?" he wonders.  
  
"I can trust in your strength." She smirks. "But you? That might take some more work. _If_ you're willing."  
  
He looks away as another blush creeps onto his face.


End file.
